1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making imidazole-2-thiones. Imidazole-2-thiones may have pharmaceutical activity or may be used to synthesize compounds having pharmaceutical activity, e.g. adrenergic activity, e.g. alpha 2 adrenergic activity.
2. Background of the Art
Compounds which have adrenergic activity are well known in the art, and are described in numerous United States and foreign patents and in scientific publications. It is generally known and accepted in the art that adrenergic activity is useful for treating animals of the mammalian species, including humans, for curing or alleviating the symptoms and conditions of numerous diseases and conditions. In other words, it is generally accepted in the art that pharmaceutical compositions having an adrenergic compound or compounds as the active ingredient are useful for treating glaucoma, chronic pain, nasal congestion, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and inducing anesthesia.
The two main families of adrenergic receptor are termed alpha adrenergic receptors and beta adrenergic receptors in the art, and each of these two families is known to have subtypes, which are designated by letters of the alphabet, such as α2A, α2B. See the article by Bylund et al, Pharmacol Rev. 46, pp. 121–136(1994).